Jones: Lee has learned from early substitution at Cambridge

Mike Simmonds

Hatters midfielder Olly Lee has heeded the advice given to him after being substituted in the first half against Cambridge United recently, according to boss Nathan Jones.

The 25-year-old was taken off before the half hour mark as Jones opted to put Glen Rea into the holding role instead, urging Lee to work on the defensive side of his game.

“If I could mix him and Glen Rea together, I’d have a top, top, top Championship player.”

Nathan Jones

The former West Ham youngster kept his place for the 4-1 win over Wycombe Wanderers last weekend as when asked if Lee had been working on those facets of his game, Jones said: “I think he does take it on board, it’s not something I haven’t told him since I’ve came here.

“He knows what he needs to improve on, because If I could mix him and Glen Rea together, I’d have a top, top, top Championship player.

“They both have real good characteristics and both have areas they need to improve on.”

Jones also took some of the responsibility for Lee’s display at Cambridge, with Town eventually triumphing 3-0 after a wonderful second half display when he altered the personnel.

He added: “The other day was my fault, I felt that we could have turned it into a footballing game at Cambridge which it wasn’t, but I knew I needed to change it.

“It was a decision I felt I need to make and Olly understood that because he’s an excellent pro.

“As it turned out, it was the right decision, but there’s no hard feelings in that kind of way and he reacted superbly.

“He’s an excellent pro, he wants to learn, he wants to get better, but it’s not something I do willy nilly so he knows that.

“I have utmost respect for Olly Lee and Glen Rea or anyone else that I bring off at any stage.

“These are real good players, it’s just at times in games you need to make tough decisions and that was one of them.”

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